KALAMAZOO, MI — Michigan State
University graduate Mike Richmond still remembers the "exhilarating" experience
of watching his Spartans beat Southern Cal in the 1988 Rose Bowl.

Up until current MSU coach Mark Dantonio was hired, the 1982 MSU alumnus doubted he would see the Spartans play in the Rose Bowl again.

"If there was a way to lose a game we would do it and as
Spartans, we kind of learned to just live with it," he said. "We always hoped, but we had a lot of
rough coaches along the way that I don't think many Spartans liked."

On Wednesday, for the first time in 26 years, the Dantonio-led Big Ten champion Spartans will play in the game dubbed the 'Granddaddy of Them All' among college football bowl games when they battle the Stanford Cardinal in the 100th
Rose Bowl.

From about 4 p.m. until the end of the Rose
Bowl, Richmond and the KZOO Spartans will host a watch party at Old
Burdick's at Wings West, 5076 Sports Drive.

"I still have to pinch myself and I still think about the
last time we were there," Richmond said about MSU playing in the Rose Bowl. "It's
unbelievably exciting watching this year and how we grew. I couldn't be more
thrilled."

Old Burdick's at Wings West has been the official host of
the KZOO Spartans for the past year. Manager Josh Reames said about 65 to 70 people attended
the Big Ten Championship game watch party when MSU defeated the favored Ohio State
Buckeyes.

"It was crazy," Reames said of the turnout. "We always love
to have a big crowd for the game and it gets exciting.

"It's electrifying when people get a 'Go Green' and 'Go
White' chant going. It's a great atmosphere to watch a game."

Numerous Kalamazoo-area taverns are planning on big crowds for the
iconic New Year's Day bowl game.

Ted Vadella, co-owner of Shakespeare's Pub, 241
E. Kalamazoo Ave. in downtown Kalamazoo, said he made sure to plan his staff's
schedule with the large football crowds in mind.

"We expect to be busy pretty much this whole week with
football and the New Year," he said. "We drew a big crowd for Michigan's game
on Saturday and we know we will have a quite a crowd for Michigan State's game
as well."

Along with the bars, MSU's appearance in the Rose Bowl has provided a boost for some other local businesses. Jennifer Jackson, manager of Campus Den in The Crossroads mall, said there has been a "definite" increase in sales at the Portage store since MSU clinched a spot in the Rose Bowl.

While many local MSU fans will be cheering on the Spartans, a few young men from the area will be part of the action in Pasadena.

MSU has three football players on its roster from
Kalamazoo-area high schools.

Safety Chris Laneaux and defensive back Corry Brown
graduated from Portage Northern in 2012 and Three Rivers in 2013, respectively.

Offensive tackle Jack Conklin, who graduated from Plainwell
High School in 2012, redshirted as a preferred walk-on for the 2012 season
before earning a scholarship this year. Starting 12 games this year at left and right tackle, Conklin was
named to the ESPN.com Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Kalamazoo native Stephen Brooks will cover the Rose Bowl for The State News, MSU's student newspaper. The 2010 Kalamazoo Central High School graduate said it's "a dream
come true."

"Kalamazoo has a lot to do with me making the trip to
California for the Rose Bowl," he said. "The Kalamazoo Promise obviously is the
reason I am at Michigan State.

"It's a great place and it made me who I am and provided me
with so many opportunities. Hopefully, I
make Kalamazoo proud."